


Earth Birthday

by Chronicles_of_Scout



Series: You Wouldn't Like Me [4]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Kalex, Kalex Week, Kalex Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 06:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21471628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chronicles_of_Scout/pseuds/Chronicles_of_Scout
Summary: Kara celebrates her first birthday post CADMUS.Part of YWLM series.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers
Series: You Wouldn't Like Me [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1324046
Comments: 7
Kudos: 90
Collections: Kalex Appreciation Week 2019





	Earth Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Ladies and Gentlemen, I have missed my introduction! - A Knight's Tale. Nothing to do with this story, it's just the first thing that came to mind when I opened this tab. 
> 
> So, this is a continuation of the YWLM AU One Shots. Thing is, this was supposed to be posted before That Fork Was Hot and after Bandaids. So imagine it between those two.
> 
> I've been writing a lot, particularly in this verse, so you'll be seeing a lot more of these guys soon.

“Oh, my _Rao_…”

They’re the only words Kara can find because she has just walked into a world of destruction.Literally.

There’s some sort of tan sludge everywhere…

And is that a _rainbow_?

Was it PRIDE month and she’d forgotten?

Questions rattle through her brain incessantly as she slowly eases the door to the firehouse closed behind her, her schoolbag limply hanging from her shoulder.

Then she sees the knife on the floor, covered in the same sludge, and her senses go into high alert.She hears movement from the kitchen, smells something burning?A quick peak with her x-ray vision and she’s wondering if she should call backup.

But then Kalasin is speeding up to her and pushing at her legs.Kara allows herself to be moved and reaches for the doorknob instinctively.

“Easy Kally, you’ll break me in two.”

That at least makes her daughter pause but only so that she can send an epic pout, complete with wide blue eyes and jutted lower lip.Kara understands acutely why Alex always calls foul play when they gang up on her but there is no way Kara could be _this _cute.

A quick series of hand gestures has Kara sighing in acquiescence.She knows when she’s beaten.

“Fine.”She signs back, eyes narrowed in suspicion.“But only for five minutes ok?”

Kalasin nods happily and, when Kara opens the door again, all but shoves her out of it.

Kara shakes her head in amusement and takes a seat on their front steps, gazing out at the empty street and immediately pulling her sketchpad.She flexes the fingers of her salmon colored prosthetic, the digits moving nearly as perfectly as her previous hand.

Alex had had to design this one to _look _like a prosthetic though.There had been plenty of people who had lost limbs in the Battle for Earth, Oliver Queen being one of them.Kara could easily blend in with a state of the art prosthetic and no one would ask any questions.

Metal arms tended to make people… sensitive.

The fake eye didn’t help either.Alex had wanted to wait to reintroduce her to public life so that she could try her regeneration formula on her, but Kara had wanted to go to school more than she’d wanted a new eye.

Hence, a very realistic looking eye that Alex and Lena had quickly cooked up but that had absolutely zero use besides aesthetics.

It didn’t bother her exactly.She’d never been the type to fawn and fuss over as something so trivial as looks but now that she and Alex had a real future… she’d wanted to look nice.

Desirable.

Not like a freak.

She releases a shaky breath and focuses back on the street, holding her pencil in her real hand as she begins to loosely sketch the bird that had alighted on their mailbox.

She’s just gotten a few angles of the beak in when the front door is opened, and someone exits the house.Kara tilts her head back when Alex stops behind her, a grin on her face as she takes in the _destroyed _woman above her.

Alex is covered head to toe in what Kara now realizes is cake batter and she is happily beaming as she tries to wipe flour off of her face.

Very unsuccessfully.

“Hey you.”

Alex stoops low enough to kiss Kara’s mouth, the angle very weird but proving no match for their love.

Kara smiles at her own corniness.

“Hey.”Alex whispers when she pulls away.She opens her mouth to say more but Kara beats her to it.

“I love you.”

Alex blushes like she always does; like she still can’t believe this is real.

Rao is Kara happy this is real.

“Did you use your super hearing yet?”Alex accuses.

“I did.”Kara admits.“But that’s not why I love you.”

“Hmmm,” Alex stands and holds her hand out for Kara.“Then I guess I love you too.For now.But you better be very surprised when you see this completely perfect event wherein nothing went wrong at all.”

Kara laughs softly and allows herself to be towed into the house.

“Oh, of course.I can totally see that.”

The second she’s in the house a booming yell of ‘surprise’ nearly shakes the structure off it’s base.Nearly everyone Kara knows is there; she’s pretty sure half of National City is there.

Which is weird because Alex is definitely anti-social.A quick look at Alex shooting a look at Kitai allows her to understand how this came to be.

Kryptonian celebrations included whole citadels.If Alex had trusted Kitai with the invitations…

She brings her fist to her mouth very carefully to mask the laugh threatening to come out.

Eliza pulls her into a hug, kissing her temple.“Happy birthday my beautiful girl.”

Kara beams and hugs her back, swaying her gently from side to side.There’s a large crowd at this party and Kara can see that a lot of them are fairly uncomfortable in their surroundings.Kitai had probably been incredibly insistent on their attendance.

Poor things.

Their eyes keep straying to her hand and there are enough whispers going around that she slams her mental shields down on her hearing.The sympathetic looks are bad enough without hearing whispered questions of _how _and _why._

Alex and Kalasin had clearly worked very hard to make this day special, despite the fact that Kara herself had forgotten it even existed.She wouldn’t let a few curious solicitors ruin it for them.

“Best Earth birthday yet.”She declares.

Eliza makes a noise of amusement.“Wait until you see the cake.”

The cake, when it is brought out by a very serious and focused looking Kalasin, is clearly homemade.Kara also understands the rainbow pattern she’d seen in her entryway when she’d initially come in.

It was the frosting.

Obviously.

Rainbow cake.

She bites her lip.

It’s an absolute mess; it’s leaning precariously to one side and the top looks like its sinking into itself.The frosting looks like it’s melting and a single lit candle with the number 3 rests on top.

“I love it.”Kara says firmly, smiling as cheers erupt and the crowd starts singing Earth’s rendition of the birthday song.Winn comes out of nowhere and swings an arm over her shoulder, singing in his surprisingly good voice directly into her ear.

She laughs and shoves him away so she can blow out the candle, wondering at the number but not having the heart to ask when Kalasin is looking at her, covered in cake ingredients, and so obviously proud of herself.

She hands the cake off to Astra, who looks at it like a bomb, and swings Kalasin up into her arms.There’s a small area off to the side that _doesn’t _have people and Kara pulls both of her girls over so they can have a moment alone.

And also so she can rain kisses all over Kalasin.

Smattering her face and neck with playful pecks, Kara holds her laughing daughter as tightly as she’s able without hurting her.Alex watches amused as Kalasin giggles, but her eyes are also, Kara notices, scanning for anyone watching them.

Alex has come to hate going out in public if only because of the judgmental stares they get when Kalasin doesn’t sound quite how people expect.

Alex has also made it a point to take Kalasin out as often as she wants so that _she _doesn’t develop a habit of hiding away.

Kara is so in love with that woman.

“I love you Kalasin El.I love you so much!”She gives Kally an eskimo kiss, nose scrunching happily as she looks into eyes identical to her own.“I love my cake and my party and my presents and I am _so _proud of you.”

Kalasin bites her bottom lip and cups Kara’s face in both of her small hands.It had taken them a while to get to this point, almost half a year to be exact, but with Harley and Alex and even Kitai… she had her daughter back.She had a whole damn village now.

Kally looks nervous so Kara gives her an encouraging nose bump and continues to smile.

“I lub you too.”

Everything freezes for Kara, her arms almost giving up on her and dropping the small girl to the ground if Alex hadn’t been with them, already anticipating the move.

Presumably.

What…

Alex holds Kalasin up from behind with one arm so that the child can maintain her grip on Kara’s shocked face.

Alex’s other hand finds Kara’s limp one and squeezes gently.

“I lub you mama.”Kalasin says again—Kalasin is _saying _things.They sound odd and aren’t completely pronounced right but her voice is…“I lub bote my mamas!”

Kara can do little else but blink stupidly as Kalasin finally releases her face, squirming in Alex’s arms so she can hug them both.

Which essentially means she is hanging from both of their necks, her little face pinched in happiness.

Kara is happy too.Somewhere, deep inside she’s sure she’s ecstatic.But also… how?Is this some sort of fever dream?Rao, was all of it a fever dream?Is she still in a hospital bed in Central America crying out for Alex to find her again?

Alex, seeing her rising panic, finally takes pity on her.

“It’s a new development but Kalasin wanted to be able to wish you a ‘real’ happy birthday.We’ve been working like crazy and about a week ago… We all worked on it.It was mostly Pam—”

“No it wasn’t.”The woman yells from somewhere in the room.

“Ok, well Lena—”

“Nope!”

Alex rolls her eyes, and Kara would have believed her annoyance if not for the teary smile on her face.

“Your human consulted our records to create a serum that would reactivate the healing sequence in my grand niece’s DNA.”Astra walks over to them, the cake vanished from her hands and replaced with a birthday crown.She quite seriously places the crown on Kara’s head as if this were a formal ceremony on Krypton.“She sought help, but this was all her doing.”

She’s gone as oddly as she arrived and Kara is left with a breathless laugh stuck in her chest.

“Harley helped with the speech.”Alex mumbles, eyes darting away in apparent shyness.“And Kalasin put in the work.I’m not the only—”

Kara wraps her arm back around Kalasin, brings the free one up to cup Alex’s face and pull her into a kiss.It’s more forceful than she intends it to be but by Rao she loves this woman.

Then she pulls away and kisses Kalasin’s forehead, taking her completely into her arms and rocking her gently.She realizes too late that she’s crying.

“Thank you.”She sobs, pressing her lips to Kalasin’s hair.“Thank you.Rao, thank you.”

She says the words over and over again until they become a mantra, Kalasin holding her back just as strongly.Alex stays with them of course, wrapping herself around them both even as the party continues on without them.

It isn’t until they bring out the food that both Kryptonians pull back and sniff the air.They’re on the trays before Alex can move, which is fine because a second later Kara is speeding back with three plates.

Two for her and one for Alex.

Kalasin ran off somewhere to eat and play with Jon and his friend Damien who, apparently, Alex does not trust.

Kara had said he was just a child.

Alex had said he was the son of the daughter of the demon.

Kara wasn’t quite sure what that meant but she’d been sure to keep an eye on the little bugger.So far all he’d done was brood and sulk.

It looked more like he needed a hug than supervision.

Kind of like Alex when they’d first been reunited.It makes Kara a little sad actually.

Still, it’s a fun party, full of life, music (Ni is here and insists on singing, which sounds like an orca underwater), great presents and Kalasin’s _voice._

She and Alex eat at one of the tables that have been set up in the living room.From the corner of her eyes, she notices a young girl staring at her.When the woman notices, she sends Kara a panicked look and admonishes the child.Feeling slightly more self-conscious now, she tugs on the sleeve on her shirt, trying to cover her prosthetic a bit more.

When she’s done eating, Kara does make a point of going around and introducing herself to her guests.The little girl who had been staring earlier asks if her arm hurts and she tells her no even though it is kind of sore.Normally when she gets home, she’s able to remove the prosthetic and ease the tension around the muscles but she’s nowhere near confident enough for that.As it is, she still wants to hide away from the large crowd, but she forces herself to interact and be present.It’s exhausting but she actually does meet quite a few interesting and kind people.

One young man and his girlfriend asked her if they could commission a painting.It’s not exactly in her wheelhouse but she figures it might go a long way towards human-alien relations if she painted them one of an alien family.

She agrees.

She semi regrets agreeing.

Astra pulls her aside shortly after, gently placing a hand on her shoulder and asking for a moment alone on the balcony.Kara follows without question.The party, although fun and lovely, is also draining.

They walk out into the late afternoon air, Kara immediately slumping onto one of the cushioned chairs that Cat had selected for their home.Apparently, before Kara had come back, Cat had seen how Alex was decorating and had intervened.

Eliza still hadn’t stopped thanking her.

“Hi Aunt Astra, what’s up?”

Astra gives her a long searching look, before turning away abruptly and clasping her hands behind her back.

“I—how was school?”

It’s obviously not what she wants to ask, but Astra has been having some trouble connecting with Kara it seems.Regrettably, Kara isn’t quite sure how to deal with that. It’s true that she had been angry at Astra when she’d learned she was alive; her Aunt could have prevented a whole lot of heartache on Kara’s part if she had just come for her.But as she’d learned Astra’s story and looked around at what she had and where her life had taken her… she’s a little grateful that Astra hadn’t found her.That she’d left her with the Danvers.

She wouldn’t trade meeting Alex for anything.

And Astra… the phantom zone had changed Kara.She couldn’t imagine what it would do to someone who was  _awake and aware _ with murderers for twenty three years, doing everything in their power to make sure their daughter didn’t bleed out before they reached Earth.

Kara could blame her for a lot of things but in the end, everything had worked out mostly ok.She wasn’t ok with it per se, but she wasn’t nearly as angry as she had been.

“School’s good.I’m doing mostly studio work this semester because they don’t offer a lot during the winter.When that comes around, I’ll study my core classes.”

“And… are you enjoying it?”

Thinking over the hours of meticulous detail she’s had to learn and the habits she’s had to break, it should be a no brainer.This is, after all going to be her chosen profession.

But she still feels like something’s off.

“Honestly, I don’t know.”Biting her lip when Astra glances at her over her shoulder, Kara cautiously pats the seat next to her and waits for Astra to sit with her before continuing.“The things I’m learning are great, and I can understand the practicality but… I don’t know.Maybe humans really are just that different.The way they… express themselves is odd.”

“While I can’t say I disagree,” Astra says, crossing her legs and leaning back in the seat, “what makes you say that?”

“I don’t know.They just do things different.The way they create takes forever or no time at all.There’s no in between.You either go at a snail’s pace or you crap something out and say it’s a masterpiece.”

Astra chuckles, relaxing even further.“Everyone goes at their own pace Little One.I do not believe that is a human flaw.”

“It’s confusing,” Kara grumbles.“I don’t know how to respond to it.They make me feel… I don’t know.”

Her feelings are a jumbled mess at the moment.She can pick a lot of them out individually but understanding why she’s feeling them or how they fit in the grand scheme of things is an impossibility at the moment.

She’s jarred out of her thoughts by Astra laying a hand on her arm, her expression imploring.

“Please tell me.”

The only reason she caves is because of how hard Astra has been trying.It would be almost cruel to shut down on her now, and Kara doesn’t want to do anything that will cause irreparable damage.Sharing a little of her mess might help Astra soothe her guilt.

“This party?I love that you guys threw it for me and… honestly, if I were following the practices of my craft I would be out there, mingling and happy.Instead, I had to force myself to interact with anyone not Alex or Kalasin.”

“Do you want me to send them all home?”

“No!That’s not—as an art therapist, my goal is going to be to help people open up more; to build boundaries, not walls.To experience life on their own terms.”Kara takes a breath, staring down at her hands while she picks at her nails.“But I’m not doing that.It’s hypocritical, telling people to face their fears and overcome their trauma when I can’t even enjoy a party.”

Astra doesn’t say anything but her mouth pinches thoughtfully, her eyes focusing on some point in the distance.It’s just as well, Kara hadn’t exactly anticipated a response.She knows logically that “normal” is relative, but she also mentally can’t help but think that her behavior  _isn’t_ normal.There’s so much she has to be grateful for; she has her daughter—who can speak now, she has Alex, and Ni, Winn, Astra, Kitai, Katu, Lena and Cat, Eliza… she has a village.

Who is she to feel uncomfortable outside of that small group?

Heck—she still can’t even be in the same room as J’onn if he’s not in his Martian form or if Alex isn’t next to her.And even then, it’s a short period.

How could she help other people when she hadn’t even really fixed herself?

Was that irresponsible?

“On the 47th second of the 12th minute of the seventh hour on the 39th day of Ogtal in the year 10000 I felt my heart be ripped from within my chest.I was already in the phantom zone at that point and Kitai had just gotten onboard our ship when… I wasn’t quite prepared for that.”

Astra may have broken the comfortable silence they had fallen into but that doesn’t mean she had done so happily.Her aunt is fidgeting, her arms crossed lazily over her lap but her fingers rubbing anxiously against each other, foot tapping in the air.When Kara looks at her face, she sees Astra bite her lip for the first time, sees the tears in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry Aunt Astra.”

After all these years, she can’t imagine what that must have been like.Or, well she can, but the idea of that pain… of what Astra had had to endure…She can picture it almost, Astra at the helm of some great ship, ordering people about and then collapsing, a hand to her chest as Alura’s soul made the Great Journey to Rao’s light.

“When Alura asked me to go to the Phantom Zone, I thought  _I _ was the one taking the risk.I thought… I thought I’d be helping to protect you down the road.”Astra swallows, still staring into oblivion as she shakes her head ruefully.“I thought I’d rejoin my sister here and we’d… we’d be together again.Instead I  _felt _ her die and for twenty three years I could do absolutely nothing about it.”

“Astra…”

“When I found you Little One… I was in no condition to care for a child.I thought you’d be safer.”Astra admits, finally sneaking a glance at Kara.They connect for mere seconds before Astra looks away but, in that time, Kara had glimpsed the chasm of pain her Aunt was swimming in.Her heart  _aches_ .“I never imagined that something like—every day since that moment I have had to remember what my purpose is.And that changes from day to day; thinking of things like my garden or Kitai— _finding you._ That was all that kept me going most days.”

“That’s good Aunt Astra.”Kara reaches over and takes her hand.“That’s a good step.”

Astra stares down at their joined hands, frowning in thought.“I learned that it’s not just about having people.I had a whole squadron with me and when I lost my sister and then you… a husband. They barely mattered to me.It’s not the people; it’s having people that you  _love._ That matter.You—you think that you are not capable of being great because you have pain.I have been alive a lot longer than you Little One, I have never met a person without.”

Her eyes burn; her aunt has never shared this much of herself.Not ever.It’s all she can do to only lean forward just a little, to just barely press her cheek against Astra’s shoulder and just breathe.This; this is truly a gift. 

“It is not a matter of capability Little One.I was capable.I could have led my people to a better life here on Earth from the start; I could have raised you… I was not ready.I cared for my daughter and I tried to keep an eye on you, and I told myself that was enough, and it was.For all that I failed, it was all I could do at that time.”Astra rests her cheek on top of Kara’s head, finally relaxing again as the topic moves away from her.“If you are not ready to be immersed in large gatherings of people, then don’t.The last time I checked therapy was one on one or small groups, and you do not seem to have a problem with either of those.”

That at least was something Kara knew how to respond to.

“I love you so much Aunt Astra.”

“As I do you, my star.”

“I’m so sorry I ever believed them.”

“If you had believed anything else, you may have driven yourself mad.You survived with the information you had on hand.”Astra leans down and gives her a rare kiss, lips pressed hard to the top of Kara’s head. “I will  _never_ fault you for that.”Kara squeezes her hand, releasing a shaky breath as Astra continues.“Your mother would be proud of you.Your father too probably but I know—I know my sister would have been so happy with the life you have built for yourself.”

They spend another few minutes together, just enjoying each other’s company until Kitai finds them and urges them back into the party.

Astra gets dragged over to Eliza who is setting out even more food and Kara immediately rejoins Alex.The brunette holds up a new plate of food and Kara kisses her in gratitude.Perfect day.

Her Aunt had opened up to her, instilling a new confidence in Kara that she had thought unattainable. Astra is one of the strongest people she knows and is successful as all hell, if she can work with people and have pain, then Kara can work with people and have pain.

It’s also reminded her of all the people in her life who she personally knows have experienced some form of loss or tragedy.They’re all right here in this room celebrating her.Whatever flaws Kara believes herself to have, she cannot deny that the people in this room do a damn good job at their professions.

Heck, Alex is a medical  _doctor _ whose dad is a psychotic murderer at large and she still goes out and helps victims of violence.She doesn’t think herself inadequate; she just gets it done.

She’s amazing.

They all are.

And they’ve all come together to show Kara that they think  _she _ is amazing.

How crazy is that?

She got a party and a cake.

All the food she could want.

Her favorite people in the world are here.

Her future  _wife _ is by her side.

Her daughter has an actual beautiful vocal coherent _perfect_ voice…

Kara finds herself smiling stupidly over at the playing children, absentmindedly chewing on a slice of pizza before feeling Alex nudge her in the side.

“Dude… are you _crying?_”

“Yes.”

“So am I.”

Kara glances over to confirm it and beams when she sees Alex’s glittering eyes.She kisses her, softly this time but just as loving.“Thank you.”

“I love you both so much,” Alex murmurs, pressing their foreheads together, “I’d do anything for you.”

_Ditto, _Kara thinks._Always and forever._

But she’s kind of had enough of the serious talk.She wants to be a little silly.

“Oh, I know.Trust me, the whole breaking into _two _CADMUS facilities and destroying an entire secret black ops government organization with a rag tag group of heroes… those actions kind of speak for themselves.”Alex rolls her eyes.“Plus, you took me to a musical when you hate musicals.”

“I do not hate musicals.”

“I _love_ you.”

Alex smiles bashfully and scuffs her converse on the floor.“Ok, we’re just getting cheesy now.”

A laugh bubbles in Kara’s chest but is slightly extinguished when she sees the young girl staring at her again.Kara smiles and gives a small wave.The girl beams, her hand whipping violently through the air as she waves back.Kara can only giggle at her enthusiasm.

Alex doesn’t seem to notice, finishing the last of her food before grabbing Kara and pulling her into her lap.Alex nuzzles her neck from behind and Kara feels a smile grow against her skin when she laughs at the sensation.

“Happy birthday baby.”Alex heaves a put upon sigh and shakes her head mournfully, “I promise to take baking lessons so you don’t have such a shitty cake next year.”

“Hey!”Kara protests, wriggling so she can turn in Alex’s arms and see her face.“I _love _my cake.It’s rainbow.”

“For those Nerds you found at “Noonan’s”.”Alex wiggles her eyebrows comically.“Taste the rainbow.”

Kara’s face heats and she drops her head to Alex’s shoulder with a soft thud.Way back when she had first been trying to get in Alex’s good graces, she had been so nervous she’d claimed to have found Alex’s favorite candy at a coffee shop that most certainly did not sell said candy.Despite the fact that Alex was clearly joking and using the wrong slogan, she still couldn’t help the mortification that arose from the memory.

“Oh my god, that was _terrible.I _was terrible.Why did you even agree to go out with me?I could have been a psycho.”

“I like my women crazy.”Kara nips her neck and Alex yelps.She likes the sound—and honestly the distraction too—so she keeps going, sucking gently along the tight muscle running the length of Alex’s neck.Alex’s grip tightens and she releases a breathy sigh; her girlfriend is still not into PDA and Kara is suddenly cursing Kitai for inviting so many people. Her hands slip under Alex’s top connecting with bare skin and making Alex flinch.“Hey, don’t start something you can’t finish.”

“You could finish it.”Kara challenges softly, heat filling her suddenly at the mere thought.She doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to the way Alex makes her feel.

A pleased thrill goes through her when she sees Alex swallow, feels her inch closer until their noses are almost touching.The ‘honeymoon’ phase that Winn had insisted they were in when Kara had initially returned was still going strong and Kara still found herself ready for Alex with the slightest look.It had led to some … interesting explanations.And a lot of last minute babysitting favors from her family.Luckily Astra and Kitai were more than willing to make up for lost time.

They’d actually had to cap Harley’s time when the reformed criminal had started to seem like she might not give Kalasin back.Alex has been side-eyeing Harley, Pam, and Selina ever since.

Kara’s eyes slip closed, anticipation settling low in her belly and making her ache.The last time Alex had looked at her like that…

“Your whole Kryptonian clan is here and they all have super hearing.Since we both know how loud we can get how about we cool it with the teasing?”

Eyes shooting open, Kara feels herself blush to the roots.She nods vigorously as she comes back to herself.

“Uh huh.Yes ma’am.Ok yes!”

Alex steals a kiss and leans back, eyes moving to something behind Kara with a catlike satisfaction.

“I’m also going to kick all of these strangers out of our house because it’s now eight o’clock and that is when the invitations your sister wrote out say the party ends.We can now return to being social recluses and live in peace.”

“How are _you _going to end a party?You don’t even like talking to the mail man.”

“Maggie is my back up.She brought her gun.””

Kara blinks owlishly and turns to look at the detective, still wheelchair bound, eyeing the strangers in their home with keen interest.Maggie’s hand is pretty near her—ok yep, that was a gun.

Neither of them are necessary.

Surprise of all surprises, it is Eliza who pops up out of nowhere and begins to thank the guests for coming, a sure dismissal in her tone. Although, quite kindly, someone had arranged for every person—adult and child alike—to leave with a candy bag. Since Jon was the one handing them out, Kara was going to take a wild guess and say he’d at least been the brains behind the idea.It was exceedingly adorable.

On the other side of the room, Katu has not been so kind but still very polite and the remaining strangers in the party quickly get the hint and depart.

As they’re leaving, Alex grips Kara’s face and pulls her into a searing kiss.She knows its for show but… damn.

Damn, damn, damn.

The door clicking closed behind the last non-family member pulls Kara from her kiss induced stupor and she’s left blinking at the much smaller party of their friends and loved ones.

Katu is shaking her head at them and even from over here Kara can here her whisper, “perfect opportunity to let your freak flag fly and all you do is kiss her.I am disappointment.”

Groaning, Kara can only smother her embarrassed smile in Alex’s neck.Laughing when Kitai gives a thumbs up to signal the driveway has cleared.

Luckily, Kalasin waits until this signal to deliver her joke.

“An if you eba come back we’ll kill ya!”Kalasin’s shout is followed by a long stretch of silence and then boisterous cheers, Kitai swinging her onto her shoulders and parading her around like the hero she was.

Katu shoots finger guns at Kara after she slams the door closed for theatrics, beaming at her before returning to the video game set she’d been glued to since Kara arrived.

Rao… was it possible to love another person even more than you did before?When you thought your heart was already full to bursting?Surrounded by her family, by the people who had shown her that kindness and love existed, she couldn’t imagine ever running out of love to give them.

She’d fallen a little deeper with every person in this house and she wouldn’t mind if she never stopped falling.

Kalasin’s voice, beautiful even in its oddity, _because _of its oddity, won’t leave her head.She knows it will never leave her heart.

And it’s all thanks to these people.

She doesn’t even mind that Alex has clearly been feeding Kalasin’s Disney addiction when they’d both decided to try to tame it.Kalasin had decided she was Stitch one week and wouldn’t stop destroying the house.Drastic measures had had to be taken.

Katu had told her once to find the story in her life and live for it.As she pulls Alex into a grateful hug, she knows she’s done just that.

Best Earth Birthday ever.


End file.
